Royal Mockery

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Matthew 27:27-38

The crucifixion process and event were the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission, not an unfortunate twist of fate. The soldiers and disciples alike react as if this moment was an unplanned disaster. The mockery was meant to add insult to injury. Upon closer inspection, the follower of Jesus sees even this injustice as a powerful reinforcement of the Master Teacher.

Jesus embraced the suffering of royal mockery. Consider the lesson He was reinforcing during this torturous moment. Jesus once said in his very famous sermon on the mount to “turn your cheek when” when struck, offer your full garment if your shirt is taken, and carry a soldier’s burden the extra mile when asked. Jesus lived out His sermon before their eyes. He willingly accepted the cross and the mockery.

Becoming a man like Jesus means emulating His behavior. Our circumstances will be much different than His, but the principles apply to every man. Love others as Jesus loved by being obedient instead of reacting to mockery.